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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Detection Methods Environmental Sources Human Health Effects Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Woldwide: Sources and Sinks

Environmental Science & Technology 2011 4507 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Richard C. Thompson, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Richard C. Thompson, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Richard C. Thompson, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Richard C. Thompson, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Mark A. Oakley Browne, Richard C. Thompson, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Mark A. Oakley Browne, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Phillip Crump, Tamara S. Galloway Phillip Crump, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway S. J. Niven, Richard C. Thompson, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Phillip Crump, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Phillip Crump, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, S. J. Niven, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway S. J. Niven, S. J. Niven, S. J. Niven, S. J. Niven, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Mark A. Oakley Browne, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Emma L. Teuten, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Emma L. Teuten, Andrew Tonkin, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Andrew Tonkin, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Andrew Tonkin, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Andrew Tonkin, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Andrew Tonkin, Andrew Tonkin, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway Richard C. Thompson, Richard C. Thompson, Tamara S. Galloway

Summary

Researchers found microplastic contamination on shorelines across all six continents, with higher concentrations near densely populated areas. A major source appears to be synthetic clothing fibers released during laundry, with a single garment shedding over 1,900 fibers per wash that pass through wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean.

Study Type Environmental

Plastic debris <1 mm (defined here as microplastic) is accumulating in marine habitats. Ingestion of microplastic provides a potential pathway for the transfer of pollutants, monomers, and plastic-additives to organisms with uncertain consequences for their health. Here, we show that microplastic contaminates the shorelines at 18 sites worldwide representing six continents from the poles to the equator, with more material in densely populated areas, but no clear relationship between the abundance of miocroplastics and the mean size-distribution of natural particulates. An important source of microplastic appears to be through sewage contaminated by fibers from washing clothes. Forensic evaluation of microplastic from sediments showed that the proportions of polyester and acrylic fibers used in clothing resembled those found in habitats that receive sewage-discharges and sewage-effluent itself. Experiments sampling wastewater from domestic washing machines demonstrated that a single garment can produce >1900 fibers per wash. This suggests that a large proportion of microplastic fibers found in the marine environment may be derived from sewage as a consequence of washing of clothes. As the human population grows and people use more synthetic textiles, contamination of habitats and animals by microplastic is likely to increase.

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